DENVER — The Colorado Supreme Court will be hear both sides of the argument if five elephants at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have rights and if they should be freed to go to a sanctuary.
Last year, the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) filed a lawsuit against the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) and against Bob Chastain, CMZoo CEO and President. The lawsuit was dismissed in district court but NhRP appealed to the state Supreme Court.
“We are so thankful that they felt this case was important enough to hear it,” said Courtney Fern, NhRP Director of Government Relations and Campaigns. “So we’re very excited and optimistic about the hearing on October 24.”
Driving by the Colorado Supreme Court on Sunday afternoon, a group carried signs with picture of elephants, called out chants to free them, and left behind messages in chalk. These animal activists were with NhRP arguing elephants at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have legal rights and should be freed.
Maggy Wolanske “So elephants suffer in captivity, they should never be held captive and so we hope the with the Supreme Court that they will right this wrong and they will recognize elephants right to liberty and really demonstrate that the law is following up with science and what many people know to be true,” said Fern.